1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display device, particularly for the display of music titles in a jukebox.
2. Background of the Invention
Jukeboxes offer the user a large number of musical selections, usually in the order of magnitude of several hundred individual music compositions, with presently, for example, up to twenty music compositions being stored on a single compact disc record. The possible selections are usually displayed on a program listing in the form of a display from which the user is able to input, after the insertion of an appropriate amount of money into the jukebox, by way of a keyboard leading to the selection system of the jukebox, the code for his desired selection with respect to one or several music pieces and to thus initiate the playback process. The display of a large selection of music titles thus requires a relatively large viewing area.
German Patent 2,307,309 already discloses a display device for a jukebox including a plurality of superposed parallel polygonal drums that are rotatable about axial shaft stubs and are each equipped with a plurality of essentially planar viewing surfaces and with holding elements for holding a strip card carrying a visually readable display. The polygonal drums are coupled with a drive which, when actuated, rotates all polygonal drums simultaneously about the same angular path so that a different viewing surface of each polygonal drum is turned into the viewing position. To enlarge the program offerings, a plurality of such display devices may be arranged next to one another. Although it is possible to enlarge the program offering in this way, this can be done only to a certain degree since, for example, if more than one thousand music titles are available, the space requirement for the polygonal drums becomes too great. Moreover, the drives for the individual polygonal drums are relatively susceptible to malfunction which leads to frequent malfunction of the display device.
Additionally, German Patent 2,044,028 discloses a device for displaying music titles in a jukebox equipped with a series of flat information carriers that are arranged one behind the other on an endless conveyor and are pivotal about a transverse axis so as to be inscribed on both sides. During their rotation, the information carriers can be moved within a guide equipped with interior and exterior guide walls past a housing window. In order to automatically pivot the information carriers about 180.degree., a turning device is provided which is disposed at one point in the path of revolution of the information carriers where the guide is interrupted- The endless conveyor with the information carriers can be manually moved as required in opposite directions of rotation, with the information carriers being pivoted independently of their direction of rotation. Such a device as well, if it is designed for the display of a very large number of music titles, requires a relatively large installation space and is additionally extremely subject to malfunction due to its complicated structure.
Finally, DE 3,737,585.A1 discloses a display device for a coin-operated jukebox in which the display device is configured as an externally switchable flip card carousel whose flip cards are each inscribed with the music titles on their front and back faces, with the flip cards being pivotally mounted on a flip card holder that is rotatable in only one direction by means of a drive member so that, whenever they pass by a tab that is fixed to the housing, they flip from a position in which their frontal face is displayed to a position in which their rear face is displayed. Although a plurality of music titles can be displayed on each flip stubs and are each equipped with a plurality of essentially planar viewing surfaces and with holding elements for holding a strip card carrying a visually readable display. The polygonal drums are coupled with a drive which, when actuated, rotates all polygonal drums simultaneously about the same angular path so that a different viewing surface of each polygonal drum is turned into the viewing position. To enlarge the program offerings, a plurality of such display devices may be arranged next to one another. Although it is possible to enlarge the program offering in this way, this can be done only to a certain degree since, for example, if more than one thousand music titles are available, the space requirement for the polygonal drums becomes too great. Moreover, the drives for the individual polygonal drums are relatively susceptible to malfunction which leads to frequent malfunction of the display device.
Additionally, German Patent 2,044,028 discloses a device for displaying music titles in a jukebox equipped with a series of flat information carriers that are arranged one behind the other on an endless conveyor and are pivotal about a transverse axis so as to be inscribed on both sides. During their rotation, the information carriers can be moved within a guide equipped with interior and exterior guide walls past a card, the flip card carousel as a whole, due to the rotational movement of the individual flip cards about the flip card holder, requires a comparatively deep installation space. Moreover, when passing the tab attached to the housing, the flip cards are subject to increased wear which may lead to the malfunction of the flip card carousel.